"I think my work during the three years I was there was more valued after what City did last season," Pellegrini, who is now coaching Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune FC, told Futbol Tactico magazine.

"It's not easy to win the Premier League and to reach the Champions League semifinals. Perhaps many thought that with Pep's arrival, City were going to win [the league] by a 15-point margin, and in England it doesn't work like that."

City have enjoyed an unbeaten start to this season and are level with Manchester United on 10 points at the top of the domestic standings after four rounds, while they began their Champions League Group F campaign with a 4-0 triumph at Feyenoord on Wednesday.

Pellegrini coached Real Madrid in the 2009-10 campaign, a season in which Guardiola steered Barca to the La Liga title.

The former Villarreal coach does say Guardiola, who won a total of 21 titles during his coaching spells at Barcelona and Bayern, is the right man for the City job.

"I have no doubt he will do well because Pep is one of the best coaches there is today," Pellegrini said. "But the Premier League is more competitive than any other league and it's not easy to win everything."

Adriana Garcia is a Valencia-based football writer who covers La Liga for ESPN FC.